Somalia

There is no safe place in Somalia for Christians. Church life is very restricted and believers have to practice their faith in secret. The Christian community is small and violently attacked on a regular basis.

Almost all Christians in Somalia come from a Muslim background. Their new faith is seen as a betrayal of their Somali family and clan. Both Muslim and community leaders see Christianity as a foreign religion, which threatens to damage the Somali culture. Community and family members harass and intimidate anyone who is even suspected of converting to Christianity. If their conversion is confirmed, new believers are often killed.

Older Christians say that the generation born in the 1990s have become intolerant and some believers “were killed by their children’s children”. The Somali government believes that there are no Somali Christians.

Story

“Amid the hardest times of persecution and executions of Christians, they have remained steadfast.” – Open Doors field researcher.

Islamic extremists regularly attack Christians in Somalia. If their faith in Jesus is discovered, they are often executed on the spot. An Open Doors field researcher shared that Christians in Somalia are still holding on to Christ, even as they are persecuted at every level.

Our Work

Open Doors has been supporting Somali believers since the 1990s through prayer support and raising awareness.

Pray for Somalia

Pray for Somalia

Pray that God will continue to build His Kingdom in this part of the world. Pray that through His Holy Spirit many Somalis will be drawn to the Lord, despite the risks they will face.

Pray for spiritual growth and that Somali Christians can find safe ways to gather together and encourage one another.

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